ING, the main sponsor of the Dutch Football Association and the Dutch national team, ‘Oranje’ (Orange), is using its position to combat online hate – a distinctive and inspiring sponsorship idea. The campaign, developed with TBWA, Initiative, DEPT, Yune, Playar, and PXR/Voetbal Primeur leads with a TVC created by TBWA, highlighting the impact of online hate on Dutch national players and calling on the whole country to share their support for the Dutch team everywhere using #BoostOranje. Former football international and star player, Ruud Gullit, leads the ING influencer team – a group of highly recognised influencers in the Netherlands who encourage their followers to speak out in support of ‘Oranje’ (Dutch national squad). ING is calling on football fans to make their support heard loudly and positively and the bank is publicly drawing a line – sharp criticism is part of football, personal attacks and hate are not.

The campaign has seized the opportunity to respond to the growing hardening on social media that, according to research, 44% of professional football players have to deal with every month. Cody Gakpo, Jeremie Frimpong and Jan Paul van Hecke, among others, play a role in the campaign, in addition to Ruud Gullit, who acts as an ambassador. The campaign makes the distinction between criticism and online hate visible. In this way, the bank wants to stimulate the conversation about online behaviour, with an emphasis on where the boundary lies of what is acceptable.

On TikTok, ING is launching a Brand Magic Hub, featuring interactive filters that allow everyone to show their support for Oranje (Dutch national squad). To ensure this wave of online positivity reaches as many people as possible, ING will actively boost these posts. This means that part of the media budget and reach will be allocated to this user-generated content to maximise the visibility of positive messages. ING’s support is also being made highly visible offline, with fan content appearing in digital out-of-home advertising, at Schiphol Airport, and even at the Ziggo Dome.

The Netherlands is a football country. The Dutch love the game, sympathise, cheer, curse and analyse. Traditionally, many strong opinions about line-ups, playing methods and substitutions are aired. That critical attitude is part of the game and of the Dutch football culture. Eighteen million national coaches, all with an opinion. That’s involvement, that’s passion. But online, the line between substantive criticism and personal attacks that result in hatred against players is increasingly blurred.

 

Peter Jacobs, CEO ING in the Netherlands, commented, “This campaign is about how we treat each other in the Netherlands. Anyone who thinks that words have no impact is mistaken. As a bank that is at the heart of society and as the main sponsor of the Dutch national team, we take our responsibility. This is the time to show your colours as supporters. And we hope that positive support for Orange is the beginning of a broader trend: give positive support and not online hate to people you follow, whether they are professional, amateur or pupil.”

National coach Ronald Koeman added, “Players know when it has to be better. But it makes a world of difference whether you feel that people support you or put you down. Trust and support give room to perform. That energy from the stands – and nowadays also online – really comes in.”

The campaign focuses on the importance of positive support for the Orange, especially at times when things may not go so well. According to Ruud Gullit, ambassador of the campaign, online hate touches the core of top sport. “Everyone wants to be world champion, but you don’t win prizes with negativity and shouting from the sidelines. Criticism may be sharp, but hatred destroys. Football is about winning together and losing together. Positivity lifts players, I have experienced that myself throughout my career. This is a call to the whole of the Netherlands.”

Dutch international professional footballer, Cody Gakpo, added,  “Everyone has an opinion; that’s part of it. Especially if you play for the Dutch national team. But if you feel that supporters are behind you, it gives confidence. That support can really make a difference on the field.”

The campaign strengthens ING’s broader efforts against online discrimination and hate. The approach is in line with the Royal Dutch Football Association, KNVB, programme, Ons Voetbal Is Van Iedereen, in which the association, together with the national government, combats discrimination by working on behavioural change, early detection, sanctioning and cooperation with experts.